2008 Atlanta Braves

The Atlanta Braves finished the 2007 MLB season a respectable third place in the always tough NL East, and they’re starting the 2008 season full of hope. Former GM John Schuerholz is now the team’s president, and his former assistant, Frank Wren, has taken over as the new GM. Wren jumped into the job with both feet, deciding not to re-sign center fielder Andruw Jones, trading SS Edgar Renteria to the Detroit Tigers for OF Gorkys Hernandez and RHP Jair Jurrjens, and snagging Tom Glavine from the New York Mets. Add that to a core line up of Kelly Johnson, Chipper Jones, Mark Teixeira, Jeff Francoeur, and Brian McCann, and the Braves’ prospects for making the playoffs are great. Get your tickets to Turner Field and see how the newly re-tooled Atlanta Braves fare in the 2008 MLB season!

The Beginning

The team that would become the Atlanta Braves was formed in Boston in 1871. The team was dominant early on, capturing four pennants between 1871 and 1875. The team continued to dominate when they entered the newly established National League in 1876. By 1900 though, the Braves’ fortunes had shifted and they proceeded to win only 2 more pennants before moving to Milwaukee in 1953.

The move to Milwaukee suited the Braves and they proceeded to reach the World Series in 1957 and 1958. The Milwaukee Braves were led by stars Warren Spahn and Hank Aaron, both Hall of Famers. Spahn would win more games than any other lefty in History (363) and Aaron would go on to break the most sacred record in sports: Babe Ruth’s homerun record in 1974.

On to Atlanta

The Braves moved once again, this time to Atlanta in 1966. Unfortunately they did not experience the same type of initial success they experienced in Milwaukee. It would take the Atlanta Braves 15 years to reach the World Series. Once there though they became regulars playing in the Series 4 times between 1991 and 1996, winning it all in 1995. That was in the midst of 11 straight division titles.

Those teams were led by Manager Bobby Cox and one of the greatest pitching staffs ever assembled. All Stars Greg Maddux, Tom Glavine, and John Smoltz anchored a staff that combined to win 6 Cy Young awards during the decade. With Bobby Cox still writing the lineup out and Tom Glavine rejoining John Smoltz the 2008 Atlanta Braves hope to return to the postseason for the first time since 2005.